Norton Internet Security facts for kids

Norton Internet Security was a computer program made by Symantec Corporation. It helped protect computers from harmful software like malware and viruses. It also had features like a personal firewall to block unwanted access, and tools to stop email spam and phishing (fake websites trying to steal your info).

Norton Internet Security was very popular for 14 years. However, in 2014, Symantec stopped selling it. It was replaced by a new program called Norton Security. You could get Norton Internet Security as a download, on a CD, or sometimes on a USB flash drive. It was a very popular security program in the United States.

History of Norton Internet Security

In 1990, Symantec bought a company called Peter Norton Computing. This company already made antivirus programs. Symantec kept developing these programs and sold them under the "Norton" name. Peter Norton's famous crossed-arm pose was even on the product boxes for a while!

Over the years, Norton Internet Security was updated often. Each new version usually had a year in its name, like "Norton Internet Security 2000." Later, they stopped using the year in the name, but the program still got regular updates.

Early Versions (2000-2001)

Norton Internet Security 2000 was released in January 2000. It was Symantec's first big step beyond just virus protection. It included a personal firewall to control internet traffic and block things like ActiveX controls and Java applets that could be risky. It could also block annoying banner ads and remove cookies.

A special "Family Edition" was available, which included parental controls. This feature helped parents block websites with inappropriate content. It had a list of over 36,000 bad sites! Parents could also make their own lists of allowed or blocked sites.

The 2001 version (released in September 2000) was even smarter. It could block harmful scripts (small programs) even without knowing their exact "signature," by watching how they behaved. The firewall also got better at detecting and blocking port scans, which are like hackers knocking on your computer's "doors" to see if they're open.

More Protection (2002-2003)

The 2002 version came out in August 2001. It made installation easier and dropped support for older Windows 95. This version could also stop specific personal information (like your address) from being sent through instant messengers or emails. It even had an "Ad Trashcan" where you could drag ads that slipped past the blocker.

A "Professional Edition" was made for businesses. It had advanced features like Intrusion Detection to stop attacks like the Code Red worm.

The 2003 version (released September 2002) added "Norton Spam Alert" to help reduce unwanted emails (spam). It scanned emails for suspicious words and phrases. The main screen also got easier to understand, showing green for "safe" and red for "needs attention." A new "Visual Tracker" could even show you where online attacks were coming from on a map!

Spyware and Activation (2004-2005)

Norton Internet Security 2004 (released September 2003) added protection against adware, spyware, and keyloggers (programs that record what you type). The spam filter, now called "Norton AntiSpam," also improved.

This version introduced "product activation." After installing, you had 15 days to enter a special code to make the program work permanently. This code was linked to your computer's hardware.

The 2005 version (released August 2004) was sometimes called the "AntiSpyware Edition" because spyware detection was a big focus. It could block worms that tried to find open "ports" on your computer. It also added phishing protection to warn you about fake websites. A cool "Outbreak Alert" feature would tell you about big new threats and help you quickly fix your computer's settings to stay safe.

Better Performance (2006-2008)

Norton Internet Security 2006 (released September 2005) introduced the "Norton Protection Center." This was a central place to see all your security information. It could even tell you how safe your computer was for different tasks like emailing or browsing. This version also got better at finding and removing keyloggers.

The 2007 version (released September 2006) was made to be faster and use less computer memory. It used a new "tabbed interface" to make it easier to switch between different settings. The anti-phishing feature got much better and worked with Internet Explorer. It also used special technology to find hidden threats like rootkits.

The 2008 version (released August 2007) added support for 64-bit Windows Vista. It introduced "SONAR" technology, which watched programs for suspicious behavior. "Norton Identity Safe" was a new feature that securely stored your personal information to help you fill out online forms safely. It also had a "Network Map" to show you other computers on your network that had Norton installed.

Smarter Scans (2009-2010)

The 2009 version (released September 2008) focused on speed. Symantec wanted it to install in under a minute and use much less memory. It introduced "Norton Insight," which used information from many Norton users to skip scanning files that were known to be safe. This made scans much faster. "Norton Pulse Updates" meant your program got small updates every 5 to 15 minutes, keeping you protected against the newest threats. This version also included "Norton Safe Web," which showed you if search results from Google or Yahoo were safe to click.

The 2010 version (released September 2009) brought "Project Quorum," which used "reputation-based threat detection." This meant Norton looked at how common and trustworthy a program was. If many people used a program from a known company, it was likely safe. If a program was new and from an unknown source, it might be dangerous. This helped Norton find new threats that didn't have known "signatures" yet. This version also included a free subscription to "OnlineFamily.Norton" for parental controls.

Latest Versions (2011-2015)

Norton Internet Security 2011 (released August 2010) had a new look and improved scanning. Symantec even released a special tool that could scan your Facebook feed for bad links! It also included "Norton Rescue Tools" like "Norton Bootable Recovery tool" and "Norton Power Eraser" to help fix heavily infected computers.

The 2012 version (released September 2011) had "Download Insight 2.0," which checked how safe and stable files were before you downloaded them. It also had "Norton Management" to help you manage Norton on different computers from one place. This version also allowed you to store passwords and notes securely in the cloud.

Version 20 (released in 2013) dropped the year from its name and updated automatically. It had a new look that worked well on touchscreens and added "Social Networking Protection" to keep you safe on sites like Facebook. It was also the first version to officially support Windows 8.

Version 21.x (released October 2013) was the last version of Norton Internet Security. In 2014, Symantec replaced it with a new, combined product called Norton Security. A final update, version 22.5, was released in June 2015, adding support for Windows 10.

Special Editions

Netbook Edition

Symantec also made a special version of Norton Internet Security just for netbooks. Netbooks are small, lightweight laptops. This edition was designed to work well on their smaller screens and to save battery power by delaying less important tasks when the netbook was running on battery.

Macintosh Edition

Norton Internet Security was also available for Macintosh computers.

Mac Version 1.0

Released in November 2000, this version could find and remove both Windows and Mac viruses. It included a firewall, ad blocking, parental controls, and could stop private information from leaving your computer without your permission.

Mac Version 2.0 and 3.0

Version 2.0 (released May 2002) could help you trace where attacks were coming from. Version 3.0 (released May 2003) kept similar features but improved the firewall to make decisions on its own, so you didn't have to approve every internet connection.

Mac Version 4.0

Released in December 2008, this version was also bundled with the Windows 2009 version for people who used both types of computers. It added protection against malicious websites and phishing attacks.

Images for kids

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  Norton Internet Security 2006's main interface.

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  The main user interface of Norton Internet Security 2009

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  The old Norton logo before the merger.

See also

• Internet security
• Comparison of antivirus software
• Comparison of firewalls
• Peter Norton
• Norton Antivirus
• Norton 360